The Texas Rangers are seeking public tips to solve the 1997 murder of a 22-year-old college student in rural Grayson County.
The Texas Department of Public Safety announced a $6,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for Brent Alan Gutheinz’s homicide if the tip arrives before the next featured Texas Rangers cold case.
Gutheinz’s burned and mutilated body turned up along Squirrel Creek between Van Alstyne and Sherman on June 22, 1997. The University of Texas at Dallas senior lived in Richardson and worked out as an avid bodybuilder. He was last seen running errands and heading to the gym on June 19.
In the months leading to his death, Gutheinz had racked up heavy debt buying vehicles and electronics in the Dallas-Fort Worth area despite studying full-time. His family noted his stress over the debt had risen sharply.
Investigators have questioned multiple witnesses over the years without making any arrests. The Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Rangers are pursuing forensic testing while actively working on the nearly 30-year-old case. They suspect community members may have details on Gutheinz’s large financial deals or his Grayson County connections that could help identify suspects.
Texas Crime Stoppers, funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, pays rewards for tips leading to arrests in Texas Rangers cold cases listed on the DPS website, which covers more than 140 unsolved or cold cases.
Tipsters must contact authorities through one of two channels to qualify for rewards in this case: call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477), or submit online via this link and choose “Cold Cases Featured” and “Cold Case” for crime type and offense type.
DPS spotlights one case from the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program every two months to spark leads. Rewards for these featured cases increase to $6,000, but only for tips submitted before the next highlight.
The program supports Texas law enforcement on unsolved homicides and violent serial crimes. With no statute of limitations on murder, investigators chase leads until exhausting all options.